The PPAI Expo Conference featured multiple sessions concerning sustainability topics and a select number of attendees were given a behind-the-scenes tour of Mandalay Bay’s efforts to divert waste during the largest and longest running event in promo.

  • But the trade floor itself was an example of an opportunity to practice sustainable-minded efforts, thanks to exhibitors such as Rupt and Raining Rose.


Both of these suppliers exhibited with booths made entirely out of cardboard that was recyclable, cost effective and practical.

“It’s inspiring to see more and more exhibitors prioritize sustainability not only with their product offerings but also with their whole booth design and how attendees experience it,” says Elizabeth Wimbush, PPAI’s director of sustainability and responsibility. “Companies like Raining Rose and Rupt had incredibly cool booths that were designed to be reusable, recyclable and significantly lighter weight to minimize the carbon footprint of the freight there and back.”

It’s inspiring to see more and more exhibitors prioritize sustainability not only with their product offerings but also with their whole booth design and how attendees experience it.”

Elizabeth Wimbush

Director of Sustainability & Responsibility, PPAI

‘A More Sustainable Future For Trade Shows’

Austin-based Rupt, which has committed to ensuring that each of its products is carbon neutral through a cradle-to-grave carbon footprint calculation, brought a booth to The PPAI Expo 2025 that was made entirely of FSC-certified recycled cardboard. To any given distributor, the Rupt booth looked every bit as stylish and functional as any other booth on the trade show. Brian Gill, president of distributor Thumbprint, called the booth “absolutely spectacular” and praised Rupt for “walking the talk on sustainability.”

  • A year prior, Rupt’s non-cardboard booth weighed approximately 3,000 pounds.
  • This year, the total weight of the booth was less than 400 pounds, a significant decrease in CO2 emissions expended during transit.


“At Rupt, we care about the environmental impact of our tradeshow booth just as much as we care about it with all of our products,” says Jason Lucash, CEO of Rupt and winner of The Pitch this year. “This booth is proof that the promo industry can, and must, evolve to prioritize sustainability without sacrificing style or impact. We’re setting a new standard for what’s possible, and we hope others will follow suit.”

This booth is proof that the promo industry can, and must, evolve to prioritize sustainability without sacrificing style or impact.”

Jason Lucash

CEO, Rupt

For Raining Rose, this was not the first time the Iowa-based supplier had exhibited with a cardboard booth – the first being used at The PPAI Expo 2021. Kate Nash, director of sales and marketing at Raining Rose, expressed that the aim was for it to have a retail-like presence, but she emphasized that the entire process was more cost effective than it otherwise would have been.

  • Raining Rose hopes to get three to five years out of the booth it used at The PPAI Expo 2025, and if any area, image or panel needs to be replaced, it can be accomplished at a low cost.
  • The supplier worked with GoKarton, a company based out of Miami, that will work with a client to produce recyclable booths and displays of all sizes, specializing in trade shows.
  • Supplier Chameleon Like also used GoKarton to create a cardboard exhibitor booth at The PPAI Expo 2025.

For Raining Rose’s booth, only the lights were not made of cardboard, including benches, shelves and counters. It all comes out of one crate and folds flat. No specific tools were needed to put it together. Nash says that the entire process of setting it up (including product merchandising) took between four to five hours for her team. Take-down took about 30 minutes.

  • When Raining Rose is ready to move on from this booth, it will be recycled in its entirety.
The booth not only presented a professional and eco-conscious image, but it was also very practical.”

Kate Nash

Director of Sales & Marketing, Raining Rose

“Choosing a sustainable cardboard booth for The PPAI Expo 2025 was the right decision for us,” Nash says. “The booth not only presented a professional and eco-conscious image, but it was also very practical. Its lightweight and modular design is easy to set up, and it is durable enough to last for several shows.

“We are delighted that this innovative solution allows us to minimize our environmental impact and contribute to a more sustainable future for trade shows.”